Heritage buildings handed over
SMD has just handed over a project which has seen the refurbishment of two heritage buildings in Milton Keynes for Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council.
The £1.6m Sycamore Buildings Project started in January this year and has linked the Council’s main offices at Sycamore Farm House, in Drayton Road, Bletchley with the adjacent Sycamore Hall. The glazed link now provides a new entrance and reception area.
The project will enable Sycamore Hall to be used as a multi-use event space that can easily be converted from a council chamber to a conference room. Additional meeting facilities and storage have also been provided.
Working with great care and precision, SMD has undertaken a sensitive refurbishment to make the buildings more efficient, and improved accessibility. Modern heating, lighting and disabled toilets have been included, and the building has had a complete mechanical and electrical upgrade to create a community facility fit for modern use whilst preserving the heritage of the historic buildings.
Delia Shephard, consultant for Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council, said: “This was a large project for a local council to undertake and included a complex refurbishment. We were confident we could trust SMD to do a great job. They had high standards for health and safety throughout the contract and took care to minimise disruption for our neighbours. Local residents will see the high quality of workmanship, and the new facilities will provide a wonderful community asset for local people.”
SMD won the contract due to offering value for money pricing and its quality scores, but the Council was also impressed by the company ethos which emphasised robust risk management, collaborative working and social responsibility.
Sycamore House dates back to the mid-18th century and was originally part of Sycamore Dairy Farm. It was operated by local families at the heart of agricultural life in the area.
As Milton Keynes expanded in the mid-20th century, the use of the farmhouse also evolved, housing different organisations and was even used as a site office during construction of the nearby London overspill Lakes Estate.
In the late 1970s, a Victorian barn (also part of the farm) was incorporated into the newly built Sycamore Social Club later renamed as Sycamore Hall.
Graham Rendall, contracts manager at SMD, said: “We’ve really enjoyed seeing these lovely buildings being brought into the 21st century whilst retaining all their charm and architectural features. They’ll be warm, efficient and provide multipurpose spaces whilst being a great headquarters for the Council. We can’t wait to see the spaces being used to the full.”
The team has also carried out external works with soft landscaping and improvements to the perimeter fencing.
As part of its commitment to social value on the project, SMD recently donated three trolley loads of food to MK Food Bank which provides short term crisis support and care for families and individuals in Milton Keynes.
The project team included Contract Administrator, Principal Designer & Architect Stenton Obhi Architects , quantity surveyors Currie & Brown, structural and civil engineers Stuart Thomas Associates Limited and the M&E consultant was ESP Limited.
